best cheap beach vacations

In Key West, favorite attractions include the Hemingway House and Mallory Square, where all of Key West congregates to watch the sunset and the nightly dockside antics of street performers. Drive down on the famous Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1) for heart-stopping views of the crashing surf and the Monterey peninsula. A beach vacation should not just relax the body, but rekindle your sense of fun, so we've picked five places with distinctly different personalities. Corpus Christi and Port Aransas, a small beach town only 30 minutes away, are both alluring to spring-breakers and families. Take a quick drive to Paradise Island, only about 30 minutes via Snow's Cut Bridge, where you'll find the friendly oceanside towns of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. To get away from the tourist hustle and bustle, try the laid-back beaches at Bahia Honda State Park. Perhaps the grandeur of Oahu's towering surf or the peaceful refuge of North Carolina's grassy, windswept dunes appeal to you the most. Rent a bike to tour the beaches?Santa Cruz prides itself on its bike trails. Or visit Fort Zachary Taylor, a national historic site where you can learn about Civil War history or sun yourself on the lovely adjacent beach. In Key West, favorite attractions include the Hemingway House and Mallory Square, where all of Key West congregates to watch the sunset and the nightly dockside antics of street performers.

In Key West, favorite attractions include the Hemingway House and Mallory Square, where all of Key West congregates to watch the sunset and the nightly dockside antics of street performers. Fort Fisher, located in Kure Beach, is also worth visiting for its storied Civil War fort and quiet, undeveloped beach. Looking for a deserted tropical cay to call your own for the day? Is a lively boardwalk and nearby nightlife a must? Check out our picks for the best beach vacations in the United States and the Caribbean. The awe-inspiring waves at Makaha Beach are best viewed from the safety of shore during the winter months, but make for great summer swimming. Top-rated Kailua Beach Park, on the windward eastern side of the island, is a great place to windsurf, sail and swim, provided you watch out for Man O' Wars.

best beach vacations

If you're looking for tranquility, go to Kure Beach, at the island's southern end. It's the first U.S. underwater park, where you can dive, snorkel or simply enjoy the view on a glass-bottom boat tour. The awe-inspiring waves at Makaha Beach are best viewed from the safety of shore during the winter months, but make for great summer swimming. A beach vacation should not just relax the body, but rekindle your sense of fun, so we've picked five places with distinctly different personalities. It's the first U.S. underwater park, where you can dive, snorkel or simply enjoy the view on a glass-bottom boat tour. But if you're reading this feature, you're headed for the beaches. Rent a bike to tour the beaches?Santa Cruz prides itself on its bike trails. The lively Beach Boardwalk dates from the early 1900s, and you'll find choice surfing spots near the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. Top-rated Kailua Beach Park, on the windward eastern side of the island, is a great place to windsurf, sail and swim, provided you watch out for Man O' Wars. On Key Largo, the largest of the keys, you'll find John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

In Key West, favorite attractions include the Hemingway House and Mallory Square, where all of Key West congregates to watch the sunset and the nightly dockside antics of street performers. Ala Moana, the picture-postcard beach in Honolulu, is always a great place to start your Hawaiian idyll. The island's lovely public ocean beach stretches between these two family-oriented villages. On Key Largo, the largest of the keys, you'll find John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The awe-inspiring waves at Makaha Beach are best viewed from the safety of shore during the winter months, but make for great summer swimming.